1
as in inspires
to fill with courage or strength of purpose
a pep talk that encouraged the team to get out there and win
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in promotes
to help the growth or development of
asserted that the government should be encouraging small businesses, not smothering them with regulations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in provokes
to rouse to strong feeling or action
the movie's cheap special effects will not encourage audiences to sit on the edge of their seats but to roll in the aisles with laughter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in urges
to try to persuade (someone) through earnest appeals to follow a course of action
the pastor continues to encourage the couple to work out their problems in hopes of saving their marriage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of encourages
The flyer encourages students to celebrate the end of the school year after finals.
—
Cbs Baltimore Staff, CBS News, 18 June 2026
When their biggest demonic enemy (Lee Byung-hun) encourages the formation of an equally popular K-pop boy band aimed at stealing the souls of their fans, the trio has to fight harder than ever to hold the demons at bay while keeping their friendship intact.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 18 June 2026
And that this could be something that encourages Russia to take its war outside of Ukraine and to continue to test NATO's boundaries.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Mail-in voting is easy, convenient, and reliable, which encourages eligible voters to participate.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 18 June 2026
Develop An Internal Incubator Creating an internal incubator where employees can build ideas or startups within the company ecosystem encourages ownership, innovation and growth.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Deadheading flowers like petunias and roses encourages new blooms and keeps plants healthy.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 June 2026
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission allows (and even encourages) the public to humanely kill them when possible, with no bag limits or seasons and no hunting licenses required.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026
Because irregular washing of your sheets encourages bacterial growth, rotating your sheet sets helps ensure that each sheet gets the chance to air out and be washed often.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 17 June 2026
Cbs Baltimore Staff, CBS News, 18 June 2026
When their biggest demonic enemy (Lee Byung-hun) encourages the formation of an equally popular K-pop boy band aimed at stealing the souls of their fans, the trio has to fight harder than ever to hold the demons at bay while keeping their friendship intact.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 18 June 2026
And that this could be something that encourages Russia to take its war outside of Ukraine and to continue to test NATO's boundaries.
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Mail-in voting is easy, convenient, and reliable, which encourages eligible voters to participate.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 18 June 2026
Develop An Internal Incubator Creating an internal incubator where employees can build ideas or startups within the company ecosystem encourages ownership, innovation and growth.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Deadheading flowers like petunias and roses encourages new blooms and keeps plants healthy.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 June 2026
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission allows (and even encourages) the public to humanely kill them when possible, with no bag limits or seasons and no hunting licenses required.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026
Because irregular washing of your sheets encourages bacterial growth, rotating your sheet sets helps ensure that each sheet gets the chance to air out and be washed often.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encourages
Verb
-
SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
16 June 2026
-
Someone who inspires me with her big, beautiful heart.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Similarly, fiber promotes satiety and fullness, as well as digestive health and regularity.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
20 June 2026
-
This partly entails protection for refugees but also promotes border security and even migrant returns.—
Kelsey Norman,
The Conversation,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
His jealousy provokes an act of betrayal and cruelty.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
18 June 2026
-
Such a statistic often provokes a familiar gamut of responses from those who read it, from shock, disgust and anger to a debilitating sense of helplessness.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
The plan also urges African countries to preserve former slave forts and castles as memorial sites.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
21 June 2026
-
If someone urges you to splurge, smile, breathe, and pause.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
20 June 2026
Verb
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This unique mindset, developed through setbacks and balancing a demanding tech career with elite cricket, demonstrates that profound inner work cultivates the awareness needed to perceive opportunities.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
-
Buddha offers an egalitarian path to enlightenment; Confucius codifies a religion of learning; Augustine infuses Christianity with Plato and Aristotle; Martin Luther shifts spirituality inward; Duns Scotus separates belief from knowledge; William of Ockham cultivates equality under the law.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Cryotherapy–brief exposure to very low temperatures–stimulates circulation and helps soothe sore muscles.—
Alexandra Kirkman,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
-
The mature, honest dialogue offers a sense of resolve, ushering you into a pleasant space that stimulates you to nurture yourself.—
Lisa Stardust,
Vogue,
18 June 2026
Verb
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The same engine that nudges one shopper up can hand another a discount to close a wavering sale.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2026
-
The app reads flights and stays, checks ahead, then nudges travelers toward choices that may save them from last‑minute airport purchases or an overstuffed suitcase filled with the wrong gear.—
Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone,
Miami Herald,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Props, too, to director of photography Tyson Perkins for cloaking it with moody shadows that fosters its creepy feel.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
18 June 2026
-
The myth of self-sufficiency fosters micromanagement, while the toxic invisibility of solo success drives relentless overwork.—
Luciana Paulise,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encourages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encourages. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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